If you haven't had a decent night's sleep since your baby was born, you're not alone. In fact, sleep – or rather, the lack of it – is the number one issue most new parents face, says Dr. Ari Brown, author of Baby 411: Clear Answers and Smart Advice for Your Baby's First Year. But don't despair. Learn how you can put an end to all-nighters – and get the zzzs you desperately need (finally!) – with these expert tips.

First of all, Brown points out, it is important for parents to understand an infant's sleep patterns, so we know what to expect from our baby sleep-wise:

0 to 2 months: Most newborns sleep an average of 16 to 20 hours a day, but often in stretches of just one to two hours at a time. Sleep/wake patterns revolve mainly around feedings. Because breastfed newborns require eight to ten feedings over a 24-hour period (six to eight feedings for formula-fed babies), middle-of-the-night feedings inevitably disrupt sleep for both parents and baby.

2 to 4 months: As your baby gets more mature week by week, you'll see more consistent patterns in which he is more wakeful and sleeps for longer stretches at night. By three months, many babies sleep up to five hours during the night.

4 to 6 months: By now your baby has the ability to make sleep associations that will enable him to relax and fall asleep on his own. By age 6 months, nighttime sleep can stretch up to 12 hours.